Last time I wrote about Pericles, but I'm not yet finished with him. There are more lessons to be learned from the "Golden Age" of Athens.

For Pericles' Athens, dictatorship and democracy are not dissimilar concepts. He is viewed as a strongman acting on the interests of Athenians and the polis. Not only is Pericles example worthwhile for the present, so is the study of the Delian League (for Delos), or what became known as the First Athenian Empire. However, it is folly, nigh stupid, to consider the Delian League and the Athenian economic system as overtly powerful and a "good idea." That's the mark of a foolish amateur.

The discussion of Greek economic strength need be addressed by also speaking of Persian, Phoenician, Egyptian, Roman and, of course, other Greeks concerning the time period. The Athenian Empire at its greatest strength by no means overpowered other economies. Even the very frugal Spartans were capable of building a fleet, alliances, and armies to protect themselves at home and abroad simultaneously. In fact, the struggle of the two alliances of Athens and Sparta is a cliche east/west struggle. In this case, the poorer West defeats the rich egalitarian East.

Pericles first ostracized his political rival, the conservative Cimon, by naming him a "friend of Sparta." His populist faction disrupted the more stable aristocratic groups' participation in democracy. In doing so, Pericles led Athens down a spiraling whirlpool that the whole League could not readily escape. The man was also a seeker of power, obviously. "Scoff." Yes, really! In fact, I like to think of him as a man holding one hand out in peace and brotherhood for all Athenians and raising the other as if to strike them with. Most people see brotherhood. Socrates didn't.

Athenian politics after the Persian Wars espoused by Pericles and his faction focused on outing the Lacedaemonians (Spartans) as a threat to Attica and the Delian League and also bolstering the alliances in Ionia opposite the Aegean Sea from Athens near Persian territory in Asia Minor. This Delian League was initially a defensive alliance against the Persians and in favor of protecting the Ionian states.

These Ionian states as a part of the Delian League gave money to provide for the common defense. The pool of money soon became Athens pool of money alone. Surprise! With it, Pericles used the coffers to build defensive walls to protect Athens from ...? Yep, the Spartans. Very good. He also commissioned temples from the treasury of the Delian League of which the Parthenon might be remembered. Yes, Pericles then openly sought war against independent sates so he could provoke Athens' only true rival at the time. Whereas when the Spartan army finally came, Athenians might have said something like: "This man Pericles, where is our (vain)glorious leader now?"

Funny story here. In 431 BC, the Peloponnesian War officially began after some decades of tension. Athenians disliked Pericles' plan to use only the navy and refuse the Spartans a land battle. They wanted the sexy showdown. Within a year, plague struck the city. Pericles was blamed for failures but within a year, the Athenians forgave him. After all he was a great orator, and some have even said such in recent times about their leaders. Even about bad ones. Shortly after the plague, and two years after the beginning of the war, Pericles died of the plague and the war raged on for another 25 years. OK, maybe it wasn't that funny.

The closing of the wars saw the epic failure at Syracuse and revolts within the Delian League from states that did not want further membership in an alliance with a bully who ate his own teeth. The land warrior became a sea warrior and defeated the Athenians at their own game. And for further irony here, the Spartans, now strong over Greece, began to absorb the defense of Ionia against the Persians after the submission of Athens, but without the money pool. And then ... my god, now this is just ridiculous.

Is there a correlation here to anything new? Read the whole story and laugh. There is too much tragicomedy there, what with Pericles barring Spartan diplomats and citing Athenian law that an aggressor's diplomats are refused entrance into the city. The Spartans were mobilizing in Corinth because of Athenian provocation, they had not yet attacked Athens or its populace. Funny, huh?

Pericles, what a guy. Athens, what a polis. Birthplace of Democracy. Birthplace of failed Democracy. Thanks a lot, Pericles. Ironic aside, history is written by the losers, Thucydides was an Athenian. Favoritism much? Nah.

It looks as if reason is being haggled over by Scylla and Charybdis and both are winning. You know what those two things are. Fill in the blank. Black and white. Don't go seeking a war for power's sake. Insert laconic humor here: Lesson learned. For some, lesson misunderstood. "But, but ... uh?"

Adam Conkey, an Edmond native living in Hays, is the son of a Kansas farmer and a graduate of Fort Hays State University.